Wireless communication networks implement various methods of maintaining a communication link with a wireless device as the wireless device moves geographically. For example, a handover of a wireless device may be performed from a first access node to a second access node. The handover may be performed for many reasons. For example, the wireless device may move from a coverage area of one access node to a coverage area of another access node. A handover of a wireless device can also be performed for purposes of load balancing, carrier band use management, to address network congestion, or some other reason. Typically, when performing a handover from one access node to another access node, the communication network provides to the target access node network information, such as context information, comprising information about the wireless device and the communication session.
Overview
In an embodiment, an indication is received from a wireless device in communication with a first communication system using a first radio access technology that the wireless device has detected a second communication system using a second access technology. Network information of the first communication system is provided, and the network information is stored at the wireless device when performing a first handover of the wireless device from the first communication system to the second communication system. In an embodiment, the network information is provided to the first communication system to perform a second handover from the second communication system to the first communication system.